


I'd Go Back And Ride That Rollercoaster With You

by Katybug1992



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: friendship fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:54:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24151648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katybug1992/pseuds/Katybug1992
Summary: They experienced the highs and lows of the seasons past, but Jaden would do it all over again as long as he had Vladi next to him.
Relationships: Jaden Schwartz & Vladimir Tarasenko
Kudos: 10





	I'd Go Back And Ride That Rollercoaster With You

**Author's Note:**

> Title from "Rollercoaster" by Jonas Brothers
> 
> Short, but I couldn't get the idea out of my head because I think of these two a lot.

There was one almost constant in Jaden’s career and that was playing on a line with Vova. And they knew from day one, before their first camp together, that the “kids” would be playing together. So they made it a point to spend time together, living in each other’s pockets between rooming together on roadies and living in the same building in Clayton. They discovered quickly that one thing they had in common outside of hockey was cooking.

Jaden remembered one day, a couple weeks after their first meeting, they were in Vova’s place on a day off, a Friends rerun on the TV that Vladi was trying to understand - the English tutor the Blues had brought on had told him it would be a good idea to watch shows or movies in English to get used to the sounds and pick up basic phrases better, or something like that. He had his face scrunched up in the way it got when he was trying to understand a play. So Jaden did what he always did in those situations - Step in.

He shut the TV off and went over to the fruit bowl.

“Apple.” he said before chucking it at Vladi, who caught it and looked confused for a minute before catching on and repeating the word.

When they made lunch, Jaden said every step out loud, prompting Vlai to repeat it, correcting his pronunciation only when absolutely needed. A couple months later, the guys will think Vova’s joking when he says that Schwartzy’s been helping him with his English and Schwartzy won’t correct them. It can stay between him and Vladi he decided when Vladi sent him a conspiratory smile as the guys start chirping Jaden. So many things went over Vova’s head at the time that the man was so excited to have an inside joke with someone.

The first fight the two of them had was after their first game against the Capitals together. Vladi had been so excited to play against Ovechkin, a man he grew up watching play. A player he looked up to. A player who laid Jaden out with a dirty hit. Steener had gotten the Vladi to bench, ignoring him as Vladi yelled at Ovechkin in Russian over as he was being led and Petro was helping Jaden up and to the bench while Jax got in Ovechkin’s face.

Jaden had waved Ray off, he was fine. He told Vladi he was fine. He told Vladi not to do anything stupid. But the first chance he got, Vladi tried to go after Ovechkin - completely ignoring the pretty big size difference. And, thankfully, Vladi held his own until Jax broke up the shoving before it could turn into something else.

They managed to pull out the win and as they sat next to each other in their stalls, Jaden hissed at Vova, “I was fine. That was a stupid thing to do.”

Vladi muttered something in Russian and gave Jaden a confused look that had him rolling his eyes and saying, “I know you understood what I said. On the bench and just now.”

“You no stick up for self.” Vladi muttered after a moment.

“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not exactly big enough to shove Ovechkin without getting clobbered.”

“Then I stick up for you.”

“You’re not much bigger!”

“Sch -”

“NO!” Jaden snapped, standing up, “You don’t think I know how to take a hit?! That I don’t know how to shake off a hit and power through?! I’ve been the smallest guy on every team I’ve ever played on! I know how to defend myself and I don’t need anyone stepping to fight my battles for me!”

Jaden ignored Vova as he headed into the showers. When he get out, Vladi was still there, still in the stall next to his.

He took a deep breath and let it out, “I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

“Is okay.” Vova replied, “I have listened. You good. You fast. But it first time I not see you get right back up. I worried. You favorite person on team. You best friend on team. Know you can take care of self, but sometimes maybe you need help. I always stick up for you.”

Jaden huffed out a laugh, “Steener help you put that together.”

“And Osh, little bit Sobe.” Vova grinned, bumping their shoulders together.

“Go shower,” Jaden laughed, leaning briefly against Vladi, “we’ll go home, maybe get pizza. I’m hungry.”

Vova threw his head back and laughed but headed for the showers.

They show up to practice together the next day, a little bit sore because they fell asleep on Jaden’s couch - well, half on/half off Jaden’s couch - and then had to scramble to make it to practice on time. But they were laughing as they entered the locker room, Vova criticizing Jaden’s driving like he had any room to talk.

They experienced so many highs together and so many crushing lows. So many seasons of heartbreak getting knocked out of the Playoffs. They pushed through injuries, suffered through injuries, supported each other when things got hard, always there to be a listening ear when things were too much, when they needed someone to lean on. It all led to the moment when he passed the Cup off to Bozie and crushed Jaden in a hug, yelling in his ear.

And Jaden laughed joyously back as Vladi said, “You and Me. No one I want to do this with more.”

“You and Me, Vova.” Jaden replied, grinning widely as he hugged him back.

Because they had been together for most of their careers. They’d been lineys, teammates, friends through all the highs and lows. And Jaden would do it all over again as long as he had Vladi by his side.


End file.
